Everest Sherpa Survives 6 Days Missing as Climber, Agency Trade Blame
Updated
Updated · everestchronicle.com · Jun 15
Everest Sherpa Survives 6 Days Missing as Climber, Agency Trade Blame
3 articles · Updated · everestchronicle.com · Jun 15
Summary
Hillary Dawa Sherpa, 57, was found alive after six days missing on Everest, saying he was left behind after running out of oxygen and survived on chocolates and melted ice.
Polish climber Mariusz Chmielewski accused Himalayan Traverse Adventure of criminal negligence, alleging he was given a near-empty oxygen tank, assigned an inexperienced guide and saw no search launched after the Sherpa vanished.
Agency owner Kale Dawa denied abandoning Hillary Dawa, saying bad weather blocked a helicopter, communication gear had been left with the guide and the climber had wasted oxygen during the descent.
The agency also said the summit push was complicated by British climber Chris Thrall's insistence on continuing despite altitude sickness and by another client threatening suicide if turned back.
Hillary Dawa, discharged from hospital on June 11, had been presumed dead after helicopter searches reached only Camp III, turning his emergence from the Khumbu Glacier into a rare Everest survival case.